Posted January 23rd, 2019
By Kris Powers
In order to be competitive in your field, it's important to stay on top of news, trends and developments in your industry. By actively working to expand your knowledge on a regular basis, you show your employers that they are getting the best you at all times. Even if your professional life doesn’t require it, continuous learning can be beneficial for anyone – feeding your curiosity and learning new skills can result in feelings of personal satisfaction and growth.
Personal development can be fun! In addition to reading news articles and listening to podcasts, you can attend classes, seminars, webinars, and enroll in online courses. All of these will enhance your skill set and ensure that you are up to date on the latest information available.
How to be successful with personal development?
- Adjust your mindset. Instead of feeling like you are “lacking” and “need to” seek out personal development opportunities, approach learning as something that you WANT to do. Find enjoyable ways to incorporate learning opportunities into your week and take pleasure in the process!
- Join groups or organizations. While learning alone can be appealing some of the time, learning with others can make the process more enjoyable. Your personal development journey can become so much richer by sharing experiences, stories of success, and helping one another during times of struggle. Whether those you learn with are local or online, deep relationships can develop, and lifelong learning can ensue!
- Think outside the box. Are you looking to increase your soft skills such as communication or empathy? Place yourself in social situations where both can be practiced. Volunteer with organizations that will help you to hone the skills you are looking to expand, or regularly attend networking events that will require you to be social.
- Reward yourself during your journey. Celebrate every accomplishment, big or small. Finish a chapter? Go outside for a walk. Ace that exam? Celebrate with an ice cream cone downtown. Make a list of little pleasures (a venti latte, walking your dog at the park, taking a 30-minute nap in the sun) and incorporate those little rewards throughout your learning journey. Establish milestones for yourself and make sure to acknowledge when you’ve reached them!
There is a sense of accomplishment when we set, and reach, personal goals. Lifelong learning and personal development are both worthwhile endeavors no matter what your age or occupation. With easy access to learning materials online, at the local library, or through your local community college, you can find ways to upskill and enhance your knowledge base.
Ed4Career offers hundreds of Personal Enrichment courses online. We make learning easy, enjoyable and affordable! Our courses cover a variety of topics and industries. Visit us today to learn how we make personal development fun for all!
